Reed article and method of producing same



2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JNVENTOR. L60 UL mw ATTORNEY M.v B. LLOYD. REED ARTICLE ANnMETHon oFPRoDUcING sA-ME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 20| I920 h Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Mtns/@[6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD, OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION 0F MASSACIIU-SE'ITS.v

REED ARTICLE AND METHOD-OF PRODUCING SAME.

10 all whom t may con-cern.'

Be it known that I, MARSHALL B. LLOYD, a. citizen of the United States. and a resident of Menominee, county ofMenominee, and State of Michigan, have .invented certain new, useful, and Improved Reed Articles and Methods of Producing Same, of which the following is a specification,

My invention relates generally to the production of reed articles which are of curved.

or arch-like form but relates more particularly to the production of such articles from flat fabric.

The general object of my invention is to provide a method whereby such articles can be produced rapidly at low cost and by unduced in any desired manner, but I prefer skilled workmen.

Another object of my invention is to provide curved, `arch-like Aor canopy-like article which shall be of improved appearance, and which shall be of light and durable character.

lMy invention consists generally in the steps, acts and stated sequence thereof, and in the article of manufacture resulting therefrom, whereby the above named objects, together with others that will appear hereinafter, are attainable;v and my invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what I consider at the present vtime to be the preferred embodiment thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. l, is a View 0f a strip of reed fabric, which I have chosen for embodiment in the article. v

Fig. 2, shows the fabric of Fig. l trimmed or outl as one of the steps in the production of the article.

Fig. 2A is a perspective view of a metallic strip used for attachment to the fabric.

Fig. 3, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a further step in the operation.

Fig. L1 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a further step in the operation of treating the fabric.

.Fig. 5, is an enlarged detailed sectional view substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the step of firmly securing metallic strips to opposite edges of the fabric.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the article frame to which the fabric is to be applied.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Fig. 8 illustrates one step inthe placement of the fabric over the frame shown at Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 1s a view looking at the under side of the completed article; and

Fig. l0, is a perspective view of a childs vehicle, the canopy of which embodies my invention.

.I have chosen to illustrate the manufacture of a canopy such as is used extensively for childrens vehicles of thestroller type,

but this, it should be understood, is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Referring again tol the drawings, 1,'represents a piece of reed fabric composed of spaced stake members 2, and the intertwined filler strands 3. This fabric vmay be proto weave in large pieces and then to sever a piece of desired length therefrom as this simplifies and cheapens the production thereof. As a next step I cut away opposite. end

portions of the fabric alon the curved linestions conform substantially to a straight line between the points 5 and 6; After' getting the fabric inpthis condition I take steps to hold it against its natural tendency to revert to its former curved condition. To this end one of the curved ends 4 may be placed in the U-shaped metallic strip portion 6, shown in Fig. 2A, and which is of a size sufficient Vto permit free movement of the fabric therein, i. e., before it is closed on the fabric. I

now apply pressure edgewise of the fabric in the direction ofthe metallic strip and this serves to straighten the curved edge 5. The fabric shifts as may be necessary for this operation, in the loosely fitting metallic member-6. This straightening of the end or edge 4 is accompanied by the bowing outwardly of that end portion of the fabric so that it is formed out of its plane of weave. This operation can be conveniently performed by placing the strip and fabric in the metal forming machine 7 shown in Figs.

. plied edgewise of the fabric to straighten quick and easy ma nner, all by means of unthe Yedge then the metal forming machine 7 is actuated to bend the metal edge 6 and the fabricl` to the form shown in Fig. 5. Thereafter the fabric is reversed and the opposite curved edge portion is placed in' a similar metallic strip portion 6 and pressure is applied edgewise of the fabric to straighten fthe remaining curved edge portion. The result of' these operations is to straighten both of the'curved end portions and to transform the initial flat fabric into a fabric which is transversely curved, lf desired, the metallic edges may be placed upon a block 8 (see Fig. 6.) and .there hammered or otherwise more tightly closed.

The next operation is that of securing the curved fabric to the frame member shown in Fig. 7. To this end the fabric may be secured along one frame member 9 as byl plac# ingfone of the metallic strip portions 6 thereon and driving brads or other fasten- 'ing devices through the strips and'in the nframe. vAs a matter of convenience in operation the frame is preferably mounted upon a pedestal 10 which is provided with a hand swinging clamp member 11", whereby the opposite edge portion may be forced to meet the opposite frame member 11, at which time the metallic strip can be secured thereto. It is now an easy matter to secure the' end portions 12 of the fabric tothe end frame members 13, as by means of tacks, brads or other suitable fastening devices. The inishedvcanopy,- as will be seen by reference to Fig. l0, is of pleasing form, indeed. The filler' strands and stakes are shaped along curved lines that add to the beauty and symmetry ofi the article.

From the foregoing it is evident that an .arched canopy can be formed by my method from a piece of flat strip. stock in a simple,

skilled labor, and that the'objects and purposes outlined in the specification are secured by the method'stated. The many ad.- vantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art without furthercomment.

, Iclaim: I

2. That improvement in the art ofmanu-. facturing articles of reed fabric which condirections, and in applying metal' binding strips to those edges of the fabric to which pressure was applied, thereby securing the fabric 'against reversion to its reformed condition.

3. The method of producing a reed,can opy or the like that consists in providing a piece of reed fabric, holding the fabric against movement as a whole, applying varyingvdegrees of pressure edgewise thereof and thereby moving part of the fabric out of its plane of weave and into substantially concavo-convex form,applying varying degrees of pressure edgewise tothe fabric in an opposite direction thereby -movingthe other part of the fabric out of its plane of Weave and into substantially concavo-convex form, and in holding the fabric against reversion to its' initialshape by applying'metal strips to the pressure thereof. l

4. An article of'reed fabric curved in two planes transverse to each other, the fabric.

being held under different degrees of endwise compression, thus producing bowing in one direction of the stakes, and a bowing transverse thereto of the fabric.

5. An article of reed fabric curved in two planes transverse to each other, the fabric being held by a rigid binding strip engaging their ends under different degrees of endwise compression, thus producing bowing in one direction of the stakes, and a bowing transverse thereto of the fabric.

6.. The .method of producing a reed canopy or the like that consists in providing a piece of reed fabric with the opposite edges thereof formed along curved lines, holding the fabric against movement as a whole, ap-

applied v.edge portions a plying pressure edgewise thereof thereby substantially straightening said curved edge and moving part of the fabric out of its plane ofl weave into arch-like form, applying pressure edgewise to the fabric in an opposite direction, thereby substantially straightening the other edge and movin'g the other part of the fabric out of its plane of Weave and into arch-like form, and in .securing the fabric against reversion to its initial form.

In testimony whereof, I. have hereunto set my hand, this 26th day of July, 1920.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,412,623, granted April 11, 1922,

upon the application of Marshall B. Lloyd, of Menomnee, Michigan, for an improvement in Reed Articles' and Methods of Producing Same, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 72,

claim 2, for Athe word reformed read preformed; and that the said Letters Patent should read with this correctionv therein that the same may conform t0 the record of the case in the Patent Office. i

Signed and' sealed this 7th day of November, A. D., 1922.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting ionwmssimwr of Patents, 

